This guide aims to clarify the role of co-operation activities under LEADER in the rural development programmes 2014-2020. This guide should be regarded as an indicative reference document and does not create any new legislative rules. In any event, interpretation of Community law is ultimately the role of the European...

The Omnibus Regulation for agriculture has been adopted on the 13th December 2017, as a separate act from the rest of the proposed Omnibus regulation. It brings several changes in the implementation of the current CAP for the first and second pillars, aiming to simplify the implementation of the policy. New...

The EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was developed in the early sixties to translate in policy terms the objectives defined in the Treaty of Rome (1957), and subsequently taken over in the Treaty on the European Union. Like all other EU policies or programmes, the CAP is also subject to...

The First Interim Meeting of the Regional Expert Advisory Working Group (REAWG) on LEADER on the “Assessment of the application of LEADER approach in the Western Balkan countries” was held in the period 05 – 07 June 2017 in Andrevlje, Serbia. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the...

The 8th NRNs’ meeting discussed new networking tools and methods to support the implementation of the Cork 2.0 Declaration in Rural Development Programme (RDP) delivery. The meeting used a methodology called ‘Innovation Camp’ to develop new ideas for the rural networks to achieve their goals in practice. Participants worked in six...

This workshop, jointly organised by the ENRD Contact Point and the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA), focused on identifying how various Rural Development Programmes Measures could support generational renewal. The workshop discussed challenges faced by young farmers and new entrants, such as access to land, finance, training, and knowledge. It...

Generational renewal on farms addresses both farm succession and set up. This trend has been researched through a LEADER-funded project with the title “Creation of farming activity by entrepreneurs outside the family framework: specific needs, levers of action, complementarity between the different support tools” implemented in France by the Jeunes...

Adelaide.Farm is a project that built up an online market for small farmers to connect with the urban consumers in south Portugal. Through the website, the consumers can buy products (from a responsible agriculture) and even have an online vegetable garden, while the farmers can sell their products at fair...

EU agriculture is facing a decreasing farming population. The overall number of farmers in the EU-27 has rapidly decreased in the last decade, falling from 14.5 million in 2005 to 10.7 million in 2013, i.e. a reduction of one fourth in less than a decade. All age groups of farmers...

This ENRD workshop discussed ways to respond to demographic change and promote social inclusion in rural areas. Entitled 'Social Hubs in Rural Europe', the event explored existing hubs of activity and inspiring initiatives from across Europe around specific social inclusion and demographic change issues,

Eurostat has published its regional yearbook providing statistics and data collected in the 28 Members States of the EU. This yearbook focuses on different subjects such as health, education and training, labour market, research and innovation, tourism and transport among others. This 2017 edition also presents a focus on European...

The main purpose of this half-day meeting is to gather feedback on the ‘SSF Governability Index’, a new assessment tool being developed by TBTI to help country gauge what needs to be done to improve governability and achieve sustainability of SSF. The forum will also be an opportunity to build...

Achieving healthy diets, adequate nutrition, good health and wellbeing for all in a sustainable manner while managing responsibly natural resources are at the core of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. Economic growth and rising incomes have nearly eliminated hunger and undernutrition in Europe and Central Asia. However, malnutrition...

In this video we travel to West Stara Planina, Bulgaria, in the south-eastern corner of Europe. We will learn how High Nature Value grasslands are preserved in this country by enthusiastic farmers like Pavlin Antonov, who apply rotational mob grazing to ensure the best production and environmental value in his...

Low growth, volatile energy prices, environmental concerns, rising expectations from consumers – these are some of the complex challenges the crop production industry is facing today, along with diminishing production profit margins for farmers. To grow the food Europe and the world needs, crop production systems need innovative solutions to...

The dedicated workshop will be held under the working title "Workshop on integrated maritime policy and marine spatial planning in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea". The European Commission's contribution will encompass the co-organisation of the Launching event of the 7-day workshop, meant to take place on 20 September 2016...

Filmed on Achill Island in September 2015 this video highlights the Natura 2000 habitats Machair Grassland and Upland Heath, both present on the Island. Supporting the type of traditional extensive farming that is practiced here is essential for maintaining these habitats. Taking a more targeted approach to agri-environment schemes can...

Waterford Institute of Technology’s Telecommunications, Software and Systems Group (TSSG) with their SFI CONNECT partners are holding a workshop with major leaders in policy, industry and academia to explore and discuss “Europe’s Opportunity in Digital Agriculture”. Speaking on the day will be EU Agricultural & Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan...

The facts speak for themselves: more than half the global population now live in urban areas. According to forecasts, three-quarters of the global population, i.e. around 7 billion people, will be living in cities by 2050. Alongside globalisation, urbanisation is indisputably one of the main trends of our time. Everywhere,...

Ever since he took office, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has promoted the interests of the livestock sector while ignoring health and environmental warnings related to over-consumption of meat